Man Stops Attack Of Woman, Helps Police Find Suspects

LAKE WORTH — A Good Samaritan who prefers anonymity scared off an alleged purse snatcher who knocked an 84-year-old woman down and dragged her along the ground by her handbag, police said Wednesday.

The rescuer, a 31-year-old man who saw the attack as he was driving by, chased the assailant Tuesday morning and got the tag number of his getaway car, which led to the arrest of three men on charges of attempted strong-arm robbery, according to police.

``It came as such a surprise and shock to me when I found myself on the ground,`` said Baxter, of the 1000 block of North J Street.

Despite her fear, she said she would not let go of her handbag when accosted at 10th Avenue North and Dixie Highway.

``For some reason or other, I held onto it,`` she said.

Investigators traced the tag number to Robert V. Boydell, 20, of Lake Worth and two other suspects, Thomas Jones, 19, of Lake Worth and Richard J. Buss Jr., 21, of Greenacres City.

Buss, police said, drove the getaway car and Jones was a passenger.

All three men are being held in Palm Beach County Jail in lieu of $1,000 bail, a jail spokesman said.

According to police, Boydell grabbed the woman`s handbag and pulled her backwards to the ground, dragging her 10 feet because she refused to let go.

The motorist, passing by in his truck, saw the struggle and pulled over, causing the assailant to flee, said police Sgt. Stu Winterson.

The man checked the elderly woman momentarily to determine that she was all right, then gave chase, he said.

The man saw Boydell leap into a waiting gray Toyota car and speed away, police said. Meanwhile, Baxter picked herself up off the ground, caught a Co- Tran bus and walked into the city police station ``screaming and hollering`` about the attempted robbery, Winterson said.